The Alpha’s desire

Marked

The alpha’s gaze sharpened immediately.

“A keycard?” he repeated.

Ezra swallowed hard, still clutching the blanket around himself like it was the only thing keeping him grounded. “Y-yes… my family gave it to me. They said the room was 1708… I just followed what they told me.”

A pause.

The alpha’s expression darkened—not with confusion now, but with understanding.

“You were misdirected,” he said slowly.

Ezra blinked. “What does that mean?”

“It means,” the alpha replied, voice turning colder, “this was not an accident.”

Ezra’s grip tightened. “But they said I was being delivered to a client—an old alpha—”

The moment those words left his mouth, the air shifted again.

The alpha’s eyes flickered.

“An old alpha?” he repeated quietly.

Ezra nodded, fear creeping back into his voice. “Yes… that’s what my family arranged.”

The alpha turned slightly, jaw tightening as he processed it.

Then, sharply: “That was never my booking.”

Ezra froze. “What?”

A heavy silence filled the room.

The alpha finally looked at him again—really looked at him like pieces of a puzzle were snapping into place.

“You weren’t sent here for me,” he said. “You were used as bait.”

Ezra’s breath caught. “Bait…?”

Before the word could fully settle, the alpha stepped closer again—but stopped just short, maintaining control over himself.

His voice dropped lower.

“You said something earlier,” he continued. “About a keycard opening this room.”

Ezra nodded quickly. “Yes… they handed it to me and told me to wait here.”

The alpha exhaled slowly through his nose.

“That’s impossible,” he said flatly.

Ezra frowned in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“This suite,” the alpha said, “is locked under biometric access. No standard keycard opens it.”

Ezra went still.

His voice came out smaller. “Then… how did I get in?”

The alpha didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, his eyes narrowed slightly as he turned toward the door, as if seeing the entire situation from a new angle.

Then, quietly:

“Someone inside this hotel wanted you in this room.”

Ezra felt his stomach drop.

“That doesn’t make sense…” he whispered. “I don’t even know anyone here.”

The alpha finally looked back at him.

His voice was controlled again—but there was something sharper underneath it now.

“You do now.”

A beat of silence.

Ezra hesitated. “You said… a bond was formed.”

The alpha’s gaze held his.

“Yes.”

Ezra’s throat tightened. “What does that mean?”

For the first time since Ezra met him, the alpha’s expression softened—just slightly.

Not kindness.

Responsibility.

“It means,” he said carefully, “you’re my mate now forever it’s a bond that cannot be broken”

He stepped back a little, creating space again.

“And now,” he added, “you’re my responsibility, my omega, I’ll keep you safe”

“You need to get cleaned up how are you feeling?”

Ezra looked down at his disheveled state covered by the blanket “sore” he winced as he tried to get up.

Damian picked him up “I can walk” Ezra said “shhh I’ll take you” Damian took him in the bathroom and gently put him in the bathtub

He gave him some privacy and left the bathroom leaving Ezra to get cleaned

Ezra stepped out of the shower with steam curling around him like smoke. He dried himself quickly, pulling on the oversized shirt left on the bed. It smelled faintly of cedar and something darker—him.

The room was silent.

For a moment, Ezra thought the alpha had left.

Then he noticed the balcony doors were open.

The man stood outside, one hand resting on the railing, city lights painting sharp lines across his face. He didn’t turn when Ezra approached.

“You should eat,” Damian said

“I’m not hungry.”

“That wasn’t a question.”